3S Artspace carving out a niche for city artists

PORTSMOUTH — As the city continues to grow upward, Chris Greiner and Celeste Ladd are holding onto a piece of it to be saved for the artists.

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By Crystal A. Weyers

seacoastonline.com

By Crystal A. Weyers

Posted Jun. 24, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Crystal A. Weyers
Posted Jun. 24, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — As the city continues to grow upward, Chris Greiner and Celeste Ladd are holding onto a piece of it to be saved for the artists.

Greiner is the executive director of 3S Artspace, located at 319 Vaughan St., where he and Ladd make up its entire two-person staff. The pair threw a groundbreaking celebration Monday evening to launch the community and construction phase of the project.

"I couldn't be more excited," Greiner said. "We really feel like we're holding this space for the artists in the community. It's very important as the city continues to grow and prosper."

Greiner said much time has been devoted to the space behind the scenes, but now is the time to reach out to the community for their help to "get across the finish line."

"We have a long way to go, but we've come really far," he said.

For Ladd, it was hard to believe the groundbreaking moment had finally arrived.

Renovations to the space may begin as soon as the end of this week.

"We're hoping to build some momentum," she said of the project that kicked off in November 2011. "Hopefully, we'll be open by the end of the year. We haven't been able to use it in its current state."

The $3.2 million project, "Making Space: The Campaign for 3S Artspace," has raised all but $900,000 needed to renovate the 20,000-square-foot facility, which will feature a performance space, a gallery"‹,"‹ affordable artists' studios and a restaurant.

"It will be a space to foster creativity in the community, a gathering place for people to come together and share creative ideas," Ladd said, adding that it would bring art, music and food together in one place.

Councilor Jack Thorsen "‹agrees art is important for the city.

"You can't put an economic label on it," said Thorsen, who believes there is a point in time when a city "begins to express itself in other ways than just through having shops and restaurants."

"Portsmouth has been there for a while," he said. "It has always had an artistic vein running through it and this is another expression of that."

Karil Reibold, chairman of the campaign's board of directors, said there "isn't anything quite like the space in the community."

With more than 200 community members attending the celebration on Monday, David J. Murray of Condor, an overhead camera and drone service, was commissioned to get one last aerial photo and video of the building and those in attendance before construction begins.

"We'll come up with some creative way to use the photo to excite the community," Ladd said.

The renovations will also mark the end to the vibrant mural on the front of the building, which was completed as a temporary piece of art painted by Peter F. Donovan.

"It's something different even though it's in the historic district," said Steve McHenry, of McHenry Architects, of what the building's new face will provide.

Those interested in learning more about 3S Artspace or looking to make a donation can visit their Web site at www.3sarts.org, or send checks "‹"‹to 3S Artspace, P.O. Box 4435, Portsmouth, NH 03802.